It's a Matter of Will
by raisethecolours
Summary: How far would one man go in order to see his loved one again?
1. Chapter 1: Day 3,649

Chapter One: day 3649

The sun was bright and in the middle of the sky. The water was a clear blue, and its waves gently hit a large boat with massive sails that was moving swiftly across the water.

There was a man on the deck. His hair was wet and wild and black, pulled back with a rough purple bandana that used to be bright but had long since faded from almost ten years of constant use. His hands were rough and callused, like the rocky sand on the bottom of the ocean floor. He was topless, and his chest and abs were toned and glowed with the kind of tan that only came from day after day in the sun. The waves lapping against the sides of his ship, the Flying Dutchman, were almost like the beating of his heart….

He swiftly grabbed a knife out of his pocket and made a short, thin line on the mast. It matched three thousand six hundred and forty-eight similar marks, all neatly swerving up, up, up the mast. He ran his hand slowly over the lines, feeling the sharp indents of each and every one. He rested his forehead upon it and closed his eyes. Immediately images of her face swam up to the space behind his eyelids. Her soft skin, glowing in the setting sun, her brown hair whipping in her face as the wind blew this way and that. And in her amber eyes, the smallest, daintiest of tears which graced her face and made her even more beautiful. _Elizabeth._

His fingers moved toward the scar on his chest. It was ice cold, like the sea, even though the day was warm. There was no pulse. Every time he touched the place where his heart should be he expected to hear a beat, but none ever came. The man, Will Turner, opened his eyes to the blazing sun and squinted towards the sky. "One day," he told himself. "Just one more day." But for now, it was back to work.

Day in and day out life, if it could be called life, was the same for him. He ferried souls who had been lost at sea to the other side. He walked across the deck and stared out into the sea. Wind whipped through his hair. Off in the distance, he saw a small boat. It was dark against the sun, and as the huge Dutchman moved closer towards the tiny dinghy, he saw the outline of a young man. Short and unshaven, the man looked up at Will with fear in his eyes as he rocked back and forth with the ongoing waves.

"Come aboard!" he shouted from above the man. "Climb up the ladder!" The man didn't respond. He looked at the water around him and mumbled something Will couldn't quite comprehend. "What?" he yelled. The man just looked up at him and stayed put. Sighing and shaking his head, Will reluctantly moved down the ladder towards where the man was floating in his dinghy. As he came down, the man's great big, blue eyes grew larger and he breathed short, quick breaths.

Will stepped into the dinghy. The man moved cautiously towards the other edge of the boat, as far away from him without being in the water. "Who…Who are you?" he stammered. Will could tell from the man's eyes, his movements and the way that he talked that he was afraid. He couldn't blame him. Even the bravest men were cowards when it came to death.

"I'm Will Turner." said Will. "Who are you?"

"John, John Morgan." said the man. He fidgeted in his seat at the other edge of the dinghy. "Where am I?"

They always asked this. How could he answer that question, when he himself didn't entirely know where he was either? He hesitated, but before he could answer the man said, "I'm dead, aren't I?"

This took Will by surprised. Usually, he would have to convince people that they were dead. Those who died at sea were unwilling to believe that they were dead, because it seemed as if they were still at sea. He looked at John and nodded.

"I thought so." he said. "The sea is different. It's not the right blue. And the wind feels too warm." he continued, looking into the water. "The sky, too bright."

Will nodded. He had noticed this almost ten years ago, when he had first began his job as captain of the Dutchman. But still after all this time, he remembered how the sea used to be. How this sea was more of a reflection of what the old sea had been. And he could tell from the man's face that this man had been close to the sea, he had been a part of it, and that the fact that he might never get a chance to see the sea again caused a small tear to form in the man's eyes which he quickly wiped away with the back of a grimy hand.

The sun was setting. If he didn't leave soon he would miss his one chance to see Elizabeth. "Listen," he said hurriedly, "I have to go, I-"

"Where are you going?" interrupted John.

"I'm going back to the sea. The real sea. It's just for one day… it's a long story.", he finished touching his hand to his scar.

"Can I come with you?" John asked. Will looked at him for a long moment. Can he come? The sun was rapidly sinking in the sky. If he has to get John back, he might miss his only chance.

"Fine." he said. "But you can't leave the boat, you understand?"

John nodded. He looked at the enormous hull of the Dutchman and smiled then scuttled up the ladder leaving Will no choice but to follow suit.

Will sighed as he climbed the ladder. An extra passenger would be aboard his ship today. But what would it matter? He wouldn't be on the ship. He would be on land, sinking his toes into the sandy beach of Port Royal.

Tomorrow, he would finally be with Elizabeth.


	2. 2: Absence makes the heart grow fonder

Chapter Two: Absence makes the heart grow fonder

Will could tell right away he was back. Ten long years he had waited, but now finally, he was back. The saltiness had gone from the air, replaced with a warm, almost dirty smell. The waves pushed a little harder against the boat and it rocked harder. And off in the distance, he saw the outline of a giant cliff. _Port Royal_. Years away had made him grow fonder of the overstocked port, the bustling streets and the smell that was like a combination of smoke, whiskey and coconuts.

From behind him, John let out a great whoop. "We're back! Good God, we're back." Will ran up to the top of one of the masts and hung off the side, as if leading the way. They were getting closer and closer, and as they did so he could just make out the shapes of two tiny figures, standing on the cliff. Elizabeth's hair blew in the wind, which also allowed for a voice to carry out across the sea. The voice was small, as if it came from a small boy.

_"Yo ho, yo ho a pirates life for me." _

A small smile graced Wills' face. Just like that, he knew. That little boy was his son.

In no time at all, they were lowering the dinghy. John, Will and his father, Bill, all aided in lowering the tiny boat onto the rough waters. It was all Will could do not to jump into the sea and swim to shore. But the minutes passed by and finally it was time for him to go. He grasped hands with John, then walked over to his dad.

"It's time for you to go, son." said Bill. Will gave his dad a strong hug before he left. Then it was off into the boat, towards land. Towards his son. Towards Elizabeth.

He had reached shore, and took off at a run, with only one thought in his mind. He must get to Elizabeth. He ran up the length of the beach, off towards the cliff. He climbed the forgotten path up the cliff. He ran and ran until there she was, right in front of him. Elizabeth.

In two strides he had reached her, and as he pressed his lips onto hers, all he thought of was how he'd missed her so much, how he loved her so much and how, though ten years had passed, he still did.


	3. Chapter 3: Fatherly Sacrifices

Three: A Father's Sacrifice

When Will finally opened his eyes, he felt like he was in a dream. He stepped back to take it all in: the feel of land beneath his feet, the sight of Elizabeth's radiant face in front of him and the sound of a little boy's laughter like music to his ears. He turned slowly, and there he was. His son. He bent down and looked the little boy straight in his amber eyes that were so like Elizabeths'. The boy had tan skin and dark brown hair, just like his father, and as he ran towards Will he smiled widely.

"Father!" he said and leapt into Will's strong arms. Will effortlessly swung his son up high in the air then slowed he came to rest eye level with him, the boys' feet just barely reaching past his hip.

"His name's William," his mother said smiling.

"But I like Billy better," said the excited little boy. He smiled again and hugged his father tight. As he drew nearer, he could feel his sons' heart beating fast and it filled him with an incredible warmth. Billy jumped out of his arms and grabbed him by the finger, leading him down the side of the cliff. "Come see the town," Billy said excitedly to his father. Will glanced a look back at Elizabeth as his son pulled him away. She smiled and walked towards him, slipping her delicate fingers into Will's hand. He had to restrain himself from pushing his lips onto hers in that moment, but that would have to wait just a little longer. For now, he was a father, and fathers have to make some sacrifices. So he would wait.

And as he walked with his son and wife into the beautiful town of Port Royal he was perfectly content, waiting.

"And this is the barber's. That's where I go to get my hair cut. Mum says my hair looks good short but I like it better long. It looks like your hair this way mum says. She says I remind her of you. That's why I don't go to the barbers so much but I think you should know where it is just in case you need to get your hair cut when you're here. And this is the bakers…"

It continued this way, with Billy talking and walking about the town showing Will around. And Will felt like he could have kept it like this, talking and walking, forever if he could. But soon the boy stopped talking and walking. It was in front of a large, blue house with four identical white windows, a high, black roof and an ornately decorated gray staircase which lead to a creamy white door.

"And this…" began Billy, but Will finished the sentence.

"Home," he said. "This is home."


	4. Chapter 4: I won't let you leave

Four:

Will looked out at the sea from the top floor of the house-his house- and sighed. It was still morning. He had just put his son Billy to bed for the first time in his life. He had to promise multiple times that he would be there when he woke up and that this was not a dream, but eventually the stubborn little boy drifted off to sleep.

He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned around to see his lovely Elizabeth. She had changed into a thin, white nightgown with old faded lace at the hems and she looked beautiful. Without even saying a word, he pressed his lips to hers and the feeling of her lips on hers was so sweet yet so painful at the same time. How he had missed this feeling. How he would miss this feeling when he had to leave. But now wasn't the time for thinking about that. He had to cherish his time with Elizabeth without any thoughts of the terrible curse that caused all his pain. With that in mind he kissed her harder until they lay on top of each other on the large bed.

Elizabeth stopped first. "Will," she said, as he kissed her neck. "Will." She repeated, this time more seriously.

"Yes, my love," he said. He rested his head on the pillow next to her and looked straight into her beautiful amber eyes.

"The curse, is it- is it broken?" she said tentatively. She looked at him with such hope it would have broken his heart, had he been in the possession of one.

"No." he breathed.

She closed her eyes and tiny tears flowed down her face which he pushed away with her hands. "Shhh," he said comfortingly.

"I just thought… I just thought maybe… oh but never mind. It's impossible." She buried herself deeper into his chest, breathing in his salty smell.

"After all these years, you never stopped loving me," whispered Will. "And our love will last through tomorrow to the day after that to the next week, month, or year until I see you again. I will always love you, even if I'm not here to tell you."

And with that he kissed her forehead and she fell to sleep, peacefully, at his side.

While she slept, Will stayed wide awake and thought. He tried to take in every single inch of his surroundings so he would never forget it. The feel of Elizabeth's' touch. The sound of morning birds coming in through the window. The fresh, clean smell of Port Royal: his home on land. He closed his eyes and when he next opened them, the sun was up in the morning sky and Elizabeth lay beside him, stroking his hair back onto the pillow.

"Good morning, Will." she said, smiling down at him. He looked up at her face which was radiant in the glow of the morning sun. He sat up slowly and rested on his elbows, looking out to sea.

"We should get up. I want to be able to make the most of this day. I can't believe I fell asleep." He began to get up, when Elizabeth jumped up and rushed around the bed until she stood in front of him.

"No. I won't let you leave just yet." She said playfully. "I'm not going to let you spend your only day here running around from place to place. You need to relax, Mr. Turner. Yep, you can't leave just yet."

"But I have only one day. I need to make this incredible." He replied. "I won't be able to see my son again for ten years, forgive me if I want to get up a little early."

"No, Will. You're staying here. If you try too hard to make it perfect, this day won't be anything you want it to be. Let the day run its course, and stay here a little longer," she said, sincerely.

But Will continued to move. He strapped on his boots, buttoned up his white shirt and was just tightening the knot on his belt when he felt the sharp tip of a cold blade rest upon his shoulder, near the nape of his neck. He turned, and his wife stood there, looking crossly down at him holding a sword.

"I won't let you leave," she said.

With a small smile, Will pulled out his sword and they fought.

Left, right, center then left again, a flash or silver, a whirl of a metal. They were like two violins, playing separate melodies that overall formed one perfect harmony, never missing a beat or losing the tempo. They fought perfectly, both anticipating ahead of time where to place their blade, it was like they were one being, swirling around the room in a beautiful dance. Will jabbed quickly to the left and met his wife's blade eye level with his. He looked into her eyes, and she fiercely looked back into his.

Then, he dropped his blade and it loudly clanged to the floor. He moved forward and embraced his wife, kissing her with a passion so intense it felt like the room was shaking. His wife kissed him with the same passion, a passion that hadn't been felt since that day, ten years ago, when they had been forced to say good bye. They stayed like that, locked together in loving embrace, so that they lost track of time and barely noticed their surroundings, as if the Earth itself had faded away.

Therefore, it was a surprise to both of them when from out of nowhere they heard applause, followed by an enthusiastic young voice.

"Mother! Father! That was AMAZING!"


	5. Chapter 5: That Beautiful Moment

Five:

"Mother! Father! That was amazing!" cried a voice from the doorway. Will let go of Elizabeth for one second to look over at his son, who was beaming at both of them.

"Billy, when did you get there?" laughed Elizabeth, pushing her hair back behind her ears.

"Well I just woke up and I wanted to see you and Father and then here I was!" said the boy excitedly. "Father will you teach me how to swordfight? Mother won't teach me and I really want to learn how." Billy was so eager and excited that Will couldn't help but laugh.

"Later, son. But now, breakfast." He said and the family walked out of the bedroom and towards the dining room together.

For Will, the breakfast was the best he'd had in years. He found comfort in the fact that he could look right next to him and-there she was- his wife. He loved being able to know that his wife would always be there, if just for today. So he made sure that not a minute went by without looking at her, resting a gentle hand on her thigh or her hand. Just one look in her eyes and he knew this feeling was matched.

But for Billy, the breakfast was tedious. Will could tell that his son was impatient to begin learning sword fighting and he couldn't blame him. At last, they finished their breakfast and Will went with Billy down to the beach, sword in hand, while Elizabeth stayed behind to watch.

As it happens, Billy was a fast learner, quickly mastering the basics of sword play and Will's soul filled with pride as he watched his son grow right before his eyes.

"Father, why must you go?" came Billy's voice, snapping Will out of his reverie.

"I'm sorry Billy. I have no choice, the curse binds me to the sea for ten years. I have but one day on land. There's nothing I can do about it."

"There must be a way." Cried Billy. "You're a pirate! You can break the curse. You must! I don't want to wait ten years before I see you again, Daddy." His son continued, enthusiastically.

That was the first time Billy had called him 'Daddy' and Will swelled with joy. He wrapped his arms around his son and squeezed him tight.

"I will always be with you, son. Even if I'm not right in front of you, know that I think of you and your mother every moment of every day. I love you, Billy."

"I love you too, Daddy."

It felt like perfection, his son in his lap, the world so peaceful around them. But when Will opened his eyes, the sun was still bright and the day was still young. He heard a creaking of footsteps on the boardwalk and immediately recognized his wife's dainty steps. She put a hand on his shoulder and quickly kissed him on the cheek. All three of the Turners sat close together, rocking a little back and forth on the boardwalk, as if invisible waves were pushing them back and forth. Will wished this moment could last forever, and then still after that. But too soon he found himself standing up, shaking off the sand from his shoes and picking up the two swords as his wife and son walked back up the path to the house. By the time Will had caught up with them, his son had moved on, that beautiful moment in the past for him. As he chattered on about his friends and how they would be so impressed by his swordplay, Will felt Elizabeth's hand and knew that this moment had reached the same part of Elizabeth's soul as it had Will's. Maybe that's why he loved her so much. When they were together, like this, they were two parts of one sole being, thinking and feeling the same things.

Both of them stopped, and while Billy went on ahead, they stood on the dock. Will took a step towards Elizabeth and kissed her, deeply. As the sun lay high in the sky, they kissed and Will put his hands around Elizabeth's neck and felt his hand brush against a thin, soft cloth chain. He looked down at Elizabeth, his forehead resting on hers, and pulled the chain out. At the end of the chain lay a key. It was small and black, an exact replica of one that hung around his chest. The one that unlocked the chest. The dead man's chest.

"I want to see it." He whispered into her neck. "I want to see my heart."


	6. Chapter 6: The Melody of the Heartbroken

Six:

Elizabeth led Will back up the boardwalk to her room where she pulled a plank away from the behind a cabinet and set it down gently on the floor.

"A secret passageway? I knew there must be a reason you bought this house." Will joked.

Elizabeth smiled. "I had to keep it safe, didn't I? What's safer than a hidden room?" She pushed a curtain out of the way to reveal a small, dark room. There was but one window that was shaped like circle at the very top of the room. Before he even stepped into the room, Will could hear a faint thump-thump. The beating of a heart. His heart.

"Here it is." Elizabeth said somewhat shyly. Will noticed that the chest looked so clean it practically sparkled, and there was no dust upon it. A cleaning rag lay on the floor that had been used many times. The chest sat upon a small, simple wooden table in the middle of the room. Hurriedly, Will yanked a similar key out a small pocket on his boot and jammed it into the key hole. There it was.

Small and bright red, his heart lay before him. He reached to the empty space on his chest where his heart should have been and it almost seemed like his heart was beating again. But no sooner had he opened it than he reached out and slammed the lid shut. His heart only reminded him of what could have been. What had been so cruelly ripped out of his life so that he would never fully know that joy again. Why had he wanted to see it? All seeing it did was cause more heartbreak.

Elizabeth put her hands on his shoulders and gently massaged the tense muscles. He grabbed her hand and suddenly remembered something.

"I have something for you." He said, reaching under his shirt to grab a silver chain, with a heart shaped pendant. A locket. And when he opened it, music filled the crevices of the small room. The song was sad, yet sweet, like the remembrance of memories that had long been forgotten.

Elizabeth looked astonished. "Where did you-"

"I found it on the ship. It was Tia Dalmas', but I changed it. The melody, I mean. I have the box back on my ship, it plays the same melody. I-I didn't want-" he choked, unable to go on.

"It's beautiful," she said, tears in her eyes. She grabbed his hand it put it on her waist, than clutched his other hand tight. Slowly, to sweet waltz of the music, they danced. And even though the space was small and cramped and dark, to Will it was the most beautiful dance in the world.


	7. Chapter 7: Bring me the rum

**So I haven't done an author's note yet and I probably should….. sorry about the long wait on the update. Thank you to those that reviewed : ) they made my day! **

**Obviously, I don't own Pirates of the Caribbean, or Will and Elizabeth would have lived happily ever after. **

**So… here's the next chapter! **

Seven:

The sun is setting, Will thought grimly. He looked toward the beach; towards his wife and son, as he waded out into the water to grab his little boat with which to row back to the Flying Dutchman. He anchored the boat closer to shore, and then walked back up the sand. Billy jumped up when his father sat down next to him. He determinedly pulled something out of his back pocket, and dropped it in front of his father. It glistened in the sand in front of him, and Will picked it up gently, letting it sparkle in the sun.

"It's our house," said Billy, quietly, pointing at the charm, which was a dazzling silver miniature of the cliff side house in Port Royal. "I had our address engraved on the back, two eighty-one Elliot Street, so you won't forget it. After all, ten years is an awfully long time."

"It is an awfully long time," said Will quietly, as he tied the silver charm to a chain around his neck. _Too long._ He thought. _The next time I see Billy, he will be nineteen. _

"It's time." He said, solemnly. "I- I have to go."

He stood up and gave his son one last hug. Picking him up, he grasped his son tightly, wishing he would never have to let go. But too soon, he put his son down. Too soon, his son whispered to him, "I'll miss you, Daddy." Too soon, he turned to face Elizabeth.

There were tears rolling down her face as she kissed him for the last time. He felt them drop slowly onto his shirt as her lips caressed his, her hands in his. He felt her body shake as she fell into his arms. He felt her hair under his chin as he rested his head on hers.

He kissed her forehead, her face, her lips, her cheeks. And he could have gone on forever, he couldn't. It was done. He pulled away.

"I love you." He said, simply. He'd said it a million times, but this time, the words almost rang in the air, which was silent, save for the crashing of waves upon the shore. It sounded like the words were like a giant crescendo; a wave in the sea crashing down upon the two hopeless lovers who realized that they were going to have to say good-bye.

"I love you too," she replied. She tried to stay calm, to be strong for him, but the tears and sadness overwhelmed her, and she was shaking as she stepped away from him.

"Keep a weather eye on the horizon," he whispered. And before he could change his mind, he willed himself to step into the dinghy and paddle off into open sea towards the Flying Dutchman, taking his final step on land.

His father and the man, John, greeted him as he stepped onto the boat. Bill must have seen Will's grief-stricken face, as he pulled his son into a close hug as soon as he could get his arms around him.

"You're a good man, son."

Will wanted to talk to his father, he wanted to tell him everything: what the house looked like, what had happened, but there would be time for that later. He climbed up the crow's nest as his father steered the ship towards open sea.

He had one last look. One last glance at his son, at Elizabeth. One last goodbye.

And then the air changed, the sea changed, and the land disappeared, replaced with open sea. They were gone.

He climbed down the ladder back towards deck, down towards the ship. His feet touched the solid wood of the ship he had come to call his prison. And he shouted as his feet touched the wood, as he resigned himself to the terrible fact that he would have to wait ten more long years until he could go back on land again.

"John! Bring me the rum."


	8. Chapter 8: Stowaway

Eight: Stowaway

Will slammed the empty rum bottle down on the table in his captain's quarters. The loud bang seemed to reverberate against the walls of the small room. He leaned back in his seat, looking at the row of empty bottles on the table. He ran his hands through his hair, which was wet and greasy and felt as if he hadn't washed in days- which he hadn't. He scratched his head and rubbed his temples, thinking.

He missed her. Elizabeth. And Billy. He missed them both so much it hurt to think about them. It hurt to talk, it hurt to move. It hurt to breathe.

He reached for another bottle of rum. When he was a boy in Port Royal- how long ago that had been- he had always hated the drink. But as he had grown more accustomed to the hard life he lived as captain of this ship-as a pirate- he had also become more accustomed to rum. As his hand fumbled around in the bucket John had brought up for him he found it feeling nothingness, a bittersweet realization that all the rum was gone.

He swore, loudly, and the whole room seemed to sway heavily. His head spun and it felt like he flew out of his chair. That's when he realized he had flown out of his chair and that his feet were walking him below deck, towards the rum. He laughed, and the world became fuzzy again. But he continued to walk, and soon he found himself in one of the dark rooms below deck where the rum was stalked in large barrels. He reached for a dark green bottle, pulled the cork of one of the barrels, and poured the amber liquid into it. He put the bottle to his lips.

"I wouldn't do that, mate." Came a voice. Will spun around on his heels. He recognized that voice from somewhere in the back of his head. Where had he heard it before? He reached back for the rum.

"No, seriously. You'll have a lovely headache in the mornin', trust me on this one." And out of the shadows came a man.

Will couldn't believe it. There was a man. A man, on his ship! A stowaway! He wildly swung his arms and through his bottle at the man, who side stepped it and it crashed to the floor.

"What are you doing here?" he yelled at the man, whose face was, for some reason, out of focus.

"Watch it mate, this here's precious material-" said the man, but before he could finished, Will pulled out his sword from his belt. It sparkled in the puddle of rum beneath him. It had never seemed so shiny, before.

"Stowaway!" He barked at the man. And as he took a step forward, his knee buckled out from under him and the small light in the cabin faded away to blackness.


	9. Chapter 9: Anything?

Nine:

Will woke up, quickly got to a standing position and immediately regretted it. It felt like someone had hit him in the back of the head, and his eyes blurred out of focus. He quickly sat back down again. Where was he? He looked around at the dark room he was in and all of a sudden realized he was soaking wet. He looked down at his shirt and picked up the soggy material, gingerly sniffing it. He stank of rum. All of a sudden he heard a noise behind him. Groggily, he turned around. And there, polishing his sword, stood the last man on Earth Will expected to see.

"Jack?"

"That wasn't quite the welcome I was expectin' mate!" said Captain Jack Sparrow. He sat on one of the rum barrels and looked down at Will on the ground, with a small smirk on his lips. "I mean, you almost attacked me! But then, I always knew you couldn't hold your rum."

Will tried to stand up, and groaned heavily.

"Now there's that headache I told you about." said Jack, pointing accusingly.

"How did you get on the ship?" he asked, from a seated position on the floor.

"Now 'ere's a good story, mate!" He grabbed a bottle of rum and popped out the cork with his teeth, then spat it on the ground. "You see, I saw the Flying Dutchman the other day when I was doing some business 'round Port Royal. It was just floating about on the sea and I thought to meself, ' Why I bet that's Will Turners ship.' I thought about it and yes, it had been ten years exactly since I'd performed that act of heroism and allowed the little eunuch to live forever."

He paused, taking a hearty swig from his bottle.

" And so, I thought I would go and 'ave a look at the boy's ship. So I rowed on over and – whattaya know!- Ol' Bootstrap Bill and some kid- I don't know who he is or where you picked him up- they were fighting about something. Kid dropped something in the water or something? I don't know, but it don't matter. So I thought, I'd just have a peek at the ship while they 'ave a go at it and so I boarded the ship."

Another swig.

"This is a beauty of a ship, by the way. Not as great as the Pearl, if I do say, but a beauty none the less. Anyway, I was about to leave when I thought I'd take a look at your collection of rum. I walked down to it when all of a sudden, I felt something change. It didn't sit right with me, so I went and walked up towards the deck. I bet you know where this is goin'"

He drained the bottle and looked for another. "And so, I found myself at World's End, a stowaway aboard Will Turner's ship, with no seeable way of getting' back. So I thinks 'well now, poor Will Turner, he's just lost his love and his son for ten more years-"

"How did you know I had a son?" interrupted Will.

Jack looked disgruntled. "Now, now let me tell me story. Anyway, where was I? Oh, yes. 'poor Will Turner's lost his Elizabeth and he's probably a wreck, so I figure he'll be comin' down for some rum. That's how I deal with things, how any pirate would deal with things, and he is most definitely a pirate. So I waited here, and I was right wasn't I? You came to me, butt-drunk and almost attacked me, but you passed out before you could. And that's how we get here, with you on the floor, me drinking rum and both of us more confused than ever."

Will shook his head, trying to get the fuzziness away. "But why didn't you tell my father you were on board?"

"What, and admit I had sneaked aboard the ship under his supervision? Nah, no pirate in their right mind would enjoy being told that."

Will was still slightly confused. Maybe it was all the rum, but there seemed to be pieces missing in Jack's story. He sighed. "How did you know I had a son?" he asked.

"Well, it's not like I haven't been in Port Royal. Every once in a while, I'll see your Elizabeth and your son about town. Course, her son doesn't really know who I am, but I guessed he was your son when I first saw him. Not that hard to guess, he's the spittin image of you."

Will looked down at his hands. He really missed them both, and hearing how casually Jack talked about an encounter with Elizabeth and Billy made him miss them even more.

It was then he got the idea. From out of the pocket of his jacket, he pulled a small music box. It was small, silver and sparkled slightly in the light from the candles. He opened it and after a tiny click, the box swung open and music, beautiful music filled the air. Jack listened to it, but didn't say a word, while Will practically swallowed the music whole as if to fill the hole that was ever-present in his life.

As the music came to a close, Will cleared his throat and whispered, "I can't live without them Jack. I would do anything … I just can't live like this." He held back a tear, but his whole body shook with sadness.

"Anything?" said Jack, his eyebrows raised. "You would do anything in this world?"

Will nodded, firmly.

"Then I think I have a preposition for you."


	10. Chapter 10 : Parallax

Ten:

_"Anything?" said Jack, his eyebrows raised. "You would do anything in this world?"_

_Will nodded, firmly._

_"Then I think I have a preposition for you."_

Will sat up a little straighter, barely believing he'd heard Jack correctly. Had he really said that there was a way he could be able to be free of the curse which bound him to the ship?

"What do you mean?" he asked. He breathed short, ragged breaths. If Jack was kidding…

"I'm taking about a way to free you from said terrible curse and let you walk on land whenever you likes. What I'm sayin is I know how to get you out of here/"

"What? Why hadn't you told me before? I could have been free long before this," said Will jumping up. His head ached but he didn't care, not if he would soon find a way to be free again.

"Well it didn't seem like the thing that you would do, mate." replied Jack, holding his hands up innocently.

"Jack, what do I have to do," Will said. He stated it strongly, as if it wasn't a question.

"You have to find someone to take your place as Captain of the Flying Dutchman."

"That's all?" Will said, hardly believing his luck. Jack had always wanted his job, hadn't he? And all he had to do was-

"'fraid not, mate. You see this person can't know ahead of time that they are becoming Captain, which means you'll likely have to betray them-though it's not something you haven't done before,"

Will shrugged. He didn't like the thought of having to betray someone, but if that meant he got to see his wife and child again, he would do anything. However, Jack continued.

"And this person also has to be in love." He said.

Suddenly, all the hope Will had in his body escaped. In order to save himself, he would have to separate two lovers, condemn two people to the same fate he was trying to escape from. He couldn't do that. Even if he did do it, he would be forever haunted by the memory of what he had done to innocent people, and then, well it would be like he was cursed again.

"I can't. I can't do that to someone."

Jack seemed to understand, a little. "But you said you'd do anything…"

Will lunged at Jack, pulling out his sword and pressing it into the nape of his neck. "Don't you dare doubt my love for them, Jack." He closed his eyes and slammed his sword back into its' heath. "You may be able to live with yourself condemning innocent people, but I can't. I would rather but the burden upon myself."

"Yourself and Elizabeth…" murmured Jack. Will's head filled with anger and his hand twitched towards his sword, wishing to slice off Jack's head in one quick stroke. But instead, he put his hand on the music box which was now dangling from his belt, and stroked it gently.

"Well, I need to find a way off this ship so I can get back to my search for the Fountain of Youth. So, I think the best option, instead of sitting here drinking rum, which is rather enjoyable don't get me wrong, but not that effective, is to go up on board, savvy?" said Jack.

So Will and Jack both walked up, towards the deck, the heels of their boots clicking solemnly on the wooden steps.

Could I do it? thought Will. Could I basically kill two people in love just so I wouldn't have to be in pain anymore? He rubbed his dry hands together. It's just two people, and anyway didn't Davy Jones do the same thing, in a different way to him and Elizabeth?

If I did it, I would be able to live with Elizabeth, I could see Billy grow up, maybe even have another child, reasoned Will. But if did it, he would be a monster. He knew it. He would be no better than Davy Jones. Will's hands trembled as he walked onto the deck of his ship. He had been so close. So close to finding the way to free himself and Elizabeth, but it had all been ripped away.

He closed his eyes, seeing her sweet face, her coy smile, her soft lips.

"_But you said you'd do anything…."_ The Elizabeth in his head whispered, as it vanished into the darkness of his mind.

Will's eyes sprang open, and he shook his head, trying to forget those painful words, as he walked.


	11. Chapter 11: Scarred

Eleven:

Thirteen days, thought Will. It had been thirteen days since he had last seen them. Thirteen days since he had waved good-bye, left them again, because of the curse which bound him to his ship. Thirteen days, and there were so many more to go. He cleared his throat and scratched some rapidly-growing stubble on his chin. He tied his bandana tight around his head and walked towards the wheel of the Flying Dutchman.

He wasn't sure who he would find there. After Jack had been exposed to his father, they had been taking the wheel in turns. Jack wanted to leave of course, but Will had convinced him that he would be needed on board a little longer. He was surprised that Jack had agreed, but when he had asked, Jack had said that he would stay- that he actually wanted to. Will supposed there was some ulterior motives to it- Jack never did anything without seeing some personal gain, but he had other, more important things on his mind that he didn't question it. Will knew that Jack couldn't stay long- the living had a hard time coping with the change between this dead world and the world they had come from- but Will didn't want him to leave yet. He enjoyed Jack's company. It made him feel almost like the way it was before… well, almost.

However, when he walked to the deck he found not Jack or his father but the man, John. "Steady," he said as John violently tugged the wheel hard to the left.

"Sorry," said John apologetically. He shook sweat off his brow and puffed his shirt out with a free hand. "It's hot as Hell, here."

Will didn't respond.

John, clearly not caring very much about the awkward pause that had just ensued, held the wheel firmly in one hand and used the other to casually take off his shirt. He threw his shirt onto his shoulder and in doing so, exposed a small scar on the inside of his wrist. It was a jarring red form on his pale skin- Will couldn't believe he hadn't noticed it before, but it had always been covered with a thick cloth cuff. The scar was gone as quickly as it appeared the cuff that John always wore covering the scar again, as if it was never there.

Will shouldn't have been so unnerved at the sight of the scar, after all he had a pretty ugly scar on his chest- it came with being a pirate- but he couldn't get it out of his head. The flash of the scar kept playing itself over and over again in his mind. He tried to forget it- he couldn't imagine why it was haunting him. Everywhere he looked, he saw first a flash of the scar. Why was it so hard to forget? It was just a scar!

The day wore on, as they always did, and soon he found himself alone in his captain's quarters. Will kicked his feet up onto his deck, scattering maps and compasses onto the floor. He stretched his arms above his head and leaned back, shutting his eyes and drifting away into sleep.

_The dream started as they always did. Her face, bright and beautiful, shone like the moon against a dark, blue, rippling ocean. Her hair was blown back from her face by an invisible wind. She looked at him solemnly with big amber eyes and spoke. "I love you," she said, just like she had every other time. _

_But then, her face changed. She wasn't happy anymore and a frustrated grimace lit up her face which now glowed, eerily. The ocean had gone too, replaced by a solid black nothingness that chilled Will to the bone._

"_But how?" she said. Her voice echoed in the darkness. "How could you? If you really loved me, you would have done anything for me. You would have died for me. And you would have killed for me. How could you?"_

"_I couldn't… I couldn't put two other people in this situation. It's not their burden to bear…"_

"_Don't you dare use my words against me, William Turner. You should have done whatever you could to have me, but you couldn't even be a man and upset just two people? Not everyone can be happy, Will. You of all people should know that." _

"_I-" said Will but he faltered and didn't speak._

"_You said you'd do anything. And now you've lost everything" Elizabeth stared at Will, fiercely and she walked out into the blackness. _

_Suddenly, the blackness faded away and Will once again saw the flash of a scar on white skin. And then it and everything else was gone, and all that was left was a whisper in the dark. _

"_You said you'd do anything... And now you've lost everything"_

Will awoke in a cold sweat, his quarters a complete mess. Papers lay cluttered on the floor and the lamp he had been using had been knocked over. A steady drip, drip, drip came from his small bottle of ink that had shattered and was dripping off the side of the wall. The room was a mess, but all he could think about was the dream.

Elizabeth had been so angry with him. Would she be? Would she have wished he had done anything- ruined the lives of two innocent people- just so they could be a family?

And then he remembered the flash of a scar at the end of the dream. And he finally realized what had vexed him so much about the scar. In the dream, he had seen the scar at a different angle, he had seen the scar the way that John would see that scar every day.

The scar was in the shape of a heart.


	12. Chapter 12: Hell's Bait

Twelve:

A knock came at the door, and Will jumped. "Come-come in!" he stuttered, quietly.

The door squeaked open and Jack stood there. "Wow, mate. This is almost messier than me cabin," he said, walking in and sitting himself down on pile of precariously-stacked maps. A few small scraps of paper fell from the pile and fluttered to the floor. "Almost."

"What do you want, Jack?" Will said, drumming his fingers on his small desk.

"Well, to be completely honest, I can't say I've quite fancied bein' aboard your ship an' all. Don' get me wrong, I know it's my bloody own fault mat, but really… I shouldn't be here. I've got to go back to the Caribbean mate, to the whole world…."

Will stared solemnly at his fingers, tapping away at the desk. He didn't say anything. Will didn't want Jack to go, but he wasn't meant to be here. And before he could change his mind he stood up and shook Jack's hand.

"Sure Jack! This sunset I'll take you back- no problem!" he said.

Jack looked bewildered at Will's forced eagerness but instead of asking questions, he smiled gingerly and grabbed a bottle of rum from Will's desk. Taking a whole-hearty swig, he said "You've got a tough job here, Will. But I can't help but envy you."

Will said nothing.

"You get to be free, mate. Roam the ocean for all eternity. Sounds like a good time to me."

"For you, maybe." Said Will, his voice low. "But for me, it's hell."

Sunset came quicker than Will would have hoped. He didn't want Jack to leave- he made Will feel more at home, as if because Jack was there, Elizabeth would be just around the corner. He made him feel more relaxed, though he couldn't reckon how that was possible. He didn't want to have to go back, either. Back to the world of the living, where his family was. He didn't know if he could take it.

But Will had been saying that a lot lately. It made him feel like a coward. So he would go- for Jack and for himself.

The sun reflected itself on the water a thousand fold as it set lower and lower. Will began systematically and slowly untying most of the cargo, cannons and gunpowder until everything was loose and rolling around like marbles on the deck. He flashed back to when Jack had first figured out how to travel back to the world of the living. He saw vaguely Calypso- her hair wild and her dress flowing as the ship rocked harder and harder. He saw Pintel and Ragetti tied upside down to the mast, and Jack frantically racing back and forth on the deck. And of course, he saw Elizabeth- the determined look on her face as she jumped to grab onto the railing of the falling ship, her face white as he sunk lower in the clear water, while she held fast to the wood which kept her afloat. He remembered the feeling they had both shared as they waited for what seemed like hours before finally the sun shone green and with an entourage of bubbles they burst back to the real world.

This time it seemed to go quicker. It felt like only a minute had gone by when suddenly a bright green flash blinded his eyes and he was back.

But where was he?

Normally, he just popped up randomly in the middle of the ocean somewhere near the Caribbean, but this time he had landed near a port. He was about a mile away from the sandy shores of a town he recognized- from a town with tall white cliffs and the smell of smoke, whiskey and coconuts.

He was in Port Royal.

"Well this is quite convenient…" said Jack, loudly. "Why, I barely have to go very far at all."

And Jack was right, they were close. So close that Will could see the blue house with the high black roof and the gray staircase. A little boy, sitting on the stairs with his mother.

He saw, as if he was right next to them, the mother jerk upright, almost heard her intake of breath and the little boy's gasp as his mouth dropped open.

He turned to Jack. "Jack, Elizabeth's seen! She knows I'm here… why am I here?" he said to himself. Why here, why now? Will ran towards the side of his ship. He wanted to jump off and swim and swim until he reached shore. Damn the curse! He put his foot on the railing and ripped off his shirt.

All of a sudden, he felt a brisk hand grab his back and hold tightly.

"I don't think you'll be needin' to go to them mate… she's comin' here." Jack said, through gritted teeth, as he pointed.

And sure enough, a small rowboat had appeared in the water, the figures of two people clear in the early morning sun.


	13. Chapter 13: Insatiable

Chapter 13:

Will's hands shot up to his head and he harshly raked his hair back. Elizabeth and Billy were coming here? Why? And why in the world had the Dutchman surfaced in Port Royal, instead of farther away, as usual? So many questions…

But in spite of all the chaos and confusion Will couldn't help but feel uncontrollably excited. He was about to see his family again. He waited with bated breath at the railing and pressed his fingernails into the wood, leaving long scratches as the boat came closer.

All of a sudden it was too much for Will. Without speaking, he jumped off the side of the Dutchman and into the ocean, not listening to the sounds of "Will!" that had echoed after him

The water felt cold and his boots dragged him down a little in the water but Will was strong and it wasn't long until one great wave pushed him directly to the little boat. He grabbed the railing and looked up. And there she was.

Gleaming in the morning sun and a small tear of joy running down one of her cheeks, she pulled him up out of the water until he lay on his back in the boat, spraying water like a fan onto her face. He propped himself up, dipping a portion of the boat under the water again and finally, Will was in the boat and across from him...

"Elizabeth" he breathed and his lips were on hers, with a force that he had never felt before. It was if he had an insatiable hunger and all he could think about was that finally, finally, he was with her. Even if he didn't know why or how, he was with her and he was so, so happy.

And as he let go, he saw his son. It was amazing how much he had grown in only two weeks. His son looked older. With a swell of pride Will noticed that he had fashioned a small loop to his belt, which held a small sword. Then his eyes traveled next to his son, who was beaming up at him, and he saw, as if in a dream, a solid black chest, a key stuck in the lock.

It was as if he was catapulted back down to earth. The world went silent but for the gentle crashing of waves and a steady beat of his heart, dulled through the wood of the chest, but still audible.

"Why is that here?" he asked, his voice hard.

Silence.

"Elizabeth!" he said, his voice cracking as he looked at her.

"I-I thought…. Jack said you needed it." Will looked out at Jack across the water. What did Jack have to do with this?

Reading Will's confused expression, Elizabeth continued. "Not long after you left, Jack came to visit us. He said that you would be coming back today and that you needed it… the heart."

"But how did he know I would be coming back?" said Will, more to himself than anyone else. Suddenly, a huge shadow plunged the little boat into darkness and Will, Elizabeth and Billy all looked up into the hull of the Flying Dutchman. Holding the vibrating chest, Will climbed with one hand up the ladder, his wife and son climbing steadily behind him.

As soon as he go on board and saw Jack staring at him innocently, Will slammed the chest down and ran towards Jack, rage coursing through his veins. He grabbed the collar of Jacks' grimy shirt with his fist, almost lifting him off the ground.

"Jack!" he spat. "Why are you here? What do you want?"

But before he could answer there was a large crash against the side of the ship. A clatter came from the ladder, but everyone stood frozen to the spot.

All of a sudden a girl, not older than seventeen with ratty blond hair and blue eyes, climbed aboard the ship and ran, breathlessly, past Will, past Jack, and straight to John.

And before Will could even begin to wonder how the hell a girl had gotten onto her ship, she kissed John, lovingly, tears running down her face.


	14. Chapter 14: Delirium

Chapter 14:

"What the bloody hell was that, mate?" asked Jack, incredulously. John looked down and Will couldn't help but notice that he rubbed his scar as he did so.

"This is… well… she's…"

"I'm Meriel," interrupted the girl, placing her hand casually in John's hand, as if she hadn't just passionately kissed someone in front of several completely confused strangers.

"She's my fiancé." He squeaked.

Wills' head spun, questions blossoming vigorously in his head. He tried to speak, but he couldn't. "Explain." He muttered, his voice low and raspy.

John rubbed his hands together and leaned against the side of the ship, awkwardly. " I… I never told you how I died. I was a sailor, a proud member of the crew of the Lady Fell. I was an up and coming man, a good sailor like my father before me and I was getting to the age where I might be able to move up a little, maybe sail farther. Maybe even get my own ship." His eyes glazed reminiscently.

"And that's when I met Meriel." He said smiling and looking at her. "She was three years my junior, but she spoke like a true lady. We fell in love. Spent the Summer doing whatever we wanted to…"

"But then the fall came, and I finally got the big break I had been waiting for… they wanted me to sail to Asia. A journey that would take two years." The look on John's face made it seem like he was remembering every painful second of that memory.

"I didn't want to… but my father.. he wanted me to. He didn't like Meriel. Thought I was 'frolicking with the lower class'. " John laughed, solemnly. "But I listened to him and I left. I didn't even say goodbye. I regret it."

Will saw Meriel give John's hand a squeeze to encourage him to continue and his throat clenched.

"As soon as I left, I knew. She was the only one for me, and I had left her. I hated myself. It was a very dark time… I started seeing her everywhere until I became so distraught I... I thought I saw her off the side of the boat, floating in the water. I thought she was dead, so I jumped off after her."

He fingered his scar, taking a deep breath. "I carved this, myself." he said, sadly. "I was almost dead and I remember thinking that maybe that would help me."

"All I remember after that was sinking and sinking until the world faded away. Then the light came. And the warmth. And when I opened my eyes, I was in a boat in the middle of what seemed like the sea. A boat was coming nearer, and there was a man aboard. He seemed anxious."

Will looked down as everyone glanced at him.

"I heard he was going back to Earth, and I wanted to come with him. I came up with a plan. I would leave a bottle in the ocean when he left and in it would be a message. It would tell my beloved Meriel that I was dead, but that I loved her and that I would be in Port Royal again soon, as I hoped to convince the captain of this ship to come back here, so we could be reunited. I didn't know how, but I would find a way."

"Luckily for me, Jack Sparrow turned up, a stowaway on the ship and it was obvious he would have to go back to Earth at some time and that we would have to be there. I just hoped that Meriel had gotten my message and that she would be waiting for me. And she was."

John and Meriel looked lovingly at each other, and he stared down at his feet, next to which sat the chest, which had been knocked over and lay sprawled on its side. He didn't move to fix it; he just stood there, transfixed at John's story.

He heard, as if through a long tube, Jack ask John a question, which John answered sheepishly, but didn't hear what they had said. There was a loud ringing in his ears and for the first time since he had gotten it, Will felt the small silver chain around his neck, feeling the small house on the chain.

He heard Jack's voice in his head, the words coming in and out. _"You have to find a replacement…. You'll have to betray them… has to be in love…." _

Will stared blankly at John and Meriel, how they looked so happy, so in love.

He turned and saw Elizabeth listening intently to the talking of everyone else around him. They made eye contact for a second, but she looked away. Almost as if she was angry, as if she was upset at him.

"_You said you'd do anything... And now you've lost everything"_ came the voice from his dream again. He felt his whole body shake, and his eyes blurred for a moment. John laughed at something Meriel had said and it echoed in his head. Will's breathing was shallow and his eyes were darting back and forth.

_They… are in love…. _he thought. _They are in love. Love, love… he wouldn't know. I could do it now. John would never know… I could be with Elizabeth again… forever._

"_Anything… Anything…." _said the voice. Louder and louder until it was like she was screaming in his ear, echoing across the vastness of his mind.

"_Anything."_

He gripped the knife by his belt tighter and took a step forward.


	15. Chapter 15: Sounds and Silence

Chapter 15:

A million noises played over and over in Will's head so it was a babble of talk and voices and sound. He could barely see where he was and he didn't know what he was doing.

All he knew was that he had to kill John.

He was doing this for her. She would have wanted him to do this. He stared over at her, sweat making his vision blur. She waved back and forth, eerily, coming in and out of focus. Her skin was tainted green and as he steadied himself a little she seemed to stare back at him with anger in her eyes.

"_Do it." _Hissed Elizabeth, whose voice sounded low and scratchy.

"_Do it, Will. Or I'll leave you." _ Her voice said, loudly in his head. "_I'll take Billy and we'll leave you…"_

Will rushed forward. He had to, he had to. He would do anything for her. And before he could stop himself he had grabbed John by the neck and pulled his knife out of his pocket.

Then time seemed to slow.

He saw John's confused face as they fell to the floor, Will pressing his knife close to John's chest. He saw Meriel and Jack and his father all lunge after him. He saw Elizabeth, looking frightened at him. Elizabeth, who looked beautiful and perfect and scared, her skin no longer green.

And he saw his heart. He felt it beating as if through a thick layer of glass. He turned slowly, looking at it in the open sun. He heard it beating, louder and louder in his head so that it felt the sound would crash through his head.

Then the world came rushing back to him. He couldn't kill John. He couldn't. But he had to… to be with Elizabeth…

He'd have Elizabeth… forever… just kill John and he'd have her... He would do anything to see her again, everyday so he could tell her how much he loved her. He looked at her and saw a tear fall onto her cheek. He saw her skin, her lips, her eyes, her hair. Everything. He breathed in her smell and all of a sudden a faint glimmer of a memory came to him.

He remembered her screaming, her crying. He remembered the rain pouring down his face, the pain he had felt in his heart, which was still beating in his chest. He remembered closing his eyes and the world fading away, when a rough hand gingerly put something cool in his hands. A sword. And he remembered that person guiding him to stab the heart. Guiding him to save his life, lead him to his destiny.

Music flooded his ears. He remembered dancing and laughing and crying with her. He remembered everything; he saw everything as if it was playing out in front of him.

He looked once more at John, lying frightened on the deck. He looked up into her eyes one last time.

And it was Elizabeth he thought of when he plunged the knife deep into his own heart.

The world spun and stopped. Then everything went black.


	16. Chapter 16: Finally and Forever

Chapter 16:

It might have been five seconds. It might have been five years. All he knew was that he was there- he was a person, he was moving. At least, that's what it felt like.

He almost forgot how to open his eyes. But he did open them, to a flash of sun bright white in his face. He was lying down, he knew that now. He didn't know on what. It was odd- it felt comfortable and uncomfortable at the same time. He moved his hand, slowly as if he had never done it before, and felt the ground.

Sand. The scratchy substance in his hand was sand- that he knew for sure. And that crashing sound he heard off in the distance- that must be the sea, must be the waves.

_The sea._

He sat up. His eyes adjusted to the bright sunlight and he stood, walking towards the sounds of the ocean that seemed to be pulling him, like and invisible force towards who knows what.

When he was walking, he remembered his name. Will Turner. He said. Will Turner. Will Turner. Will Turner. Was that really his name? It sounded so distant to him that he could hardly believe it, but there was this feeling inside of him, from the same part of him that had remembered his name that knew for sure.

Will Turner. He didn't know if he was saying it out loud, or in his head. Will Turner. He saw the sea, it's white caps plunging onto the sand beach before him.

Will Turner.

It hit him like the waves hit the shore.

He was Will Turner. He was a man, a father, a husband. He remembered faces. Jack, Billy, John and Elizabeth. Elizabeth. He remembered how much he loved her and how he couldn't be with her. He remembered wanting to be with her forever- so much so he had been willing to kill. He had wanted to kill John.

And he remembered, faintly, wanting to be with her so much that… he had stabbed his own heart.

He had stabbed his own heart. So then he must be dead.

"Not everything is as it seems, William Turnah."

Will turned around on the spot.

"Who's there?" he said, speaking for the first time. But he already knew. He knew that voice.

And then out of seemingly nowhere came Calypso, her dark skin jarring against the white sand so much so that Will wanted to close his eyes and block her from his sight. But he kept his eyes open.

"Where am I?" he asked her.

"That's a matter of perspective." She said, her mouth forming a smirk. "And it also doesn't matter. What matters is where you're going."

"I'm dead." He said simply.

"Yes. You're dead." She replied. Disappointment flooded through Will. He had hoped that Calypso would contradict him, tell him that he was still alive, that he could see Elizabeth again.

Now all hope was gone.

"But, there is a way you can see her again." She seemed to be reading his mind.

"What? How?"

Calypso ruffled her skirts, sat down and motioned him to sit down with her. "Well, you made things very tricky, didn't ya. Whoever stabs the heart of the Captain of the Dutchman has to put their heart in place of the Captains. But you stabbed the heart, and you were the captain. So what happens now?" She pulled her thick hair behind her ear, exposing a small, crab-shaped earing. "Well, we find someone else to do the job, of course. But who?" She drew a small heart in the sand with her finger.

"Whoever stabbed your heart in the first place."

In the time it took Will to understand what exactly that meant, he saw a man's shadow outlined in the sand.

"We meet again, William Turner." Said a low and gravelly voice. Anger spread throughout his body, for Will knew that voice. How could he forget? It was Davy Jones. He turned around quickly and jumped up. But instead of a tenticled monster, Will saw a man with a somewhat scruffy beard and skin that had turned brown because of days spent in the sun.

"Sit down, William." Said Calypso. She spoke to him like he was a child. He put his hand to the hilt of his sword.

"Calypso, don't blame him. The last time he saw me, I stabbed his heart." Said Jones, sitting down next to her. Will stayed standing, on edge.

"What does Davy Jones have to do with me seeing Elizabeth again?" He asked, his voice cracking.

"I'm to take your place." He replied.

"But you're dead."

Jones laughed heartily. "Death is but a word, mate. You of all people should know that."

"So, you're going to take my place…"

"I'm going to take your place as Captain. And I can take you back with me. If you want, I mean."

Will stared, incredulously. He nodded, unable to speak.

"Take me back." He whispered, dryly.

Calypso looked at him and then back at Jones. Clasping his hand tightly, she muttered something.

The world spun in slow motion, and Will felt himself being lifted off his feet and landing on the hard deck of a ship. He gasped breath into his lungs and opened his eyes.

There was Elizabeth standing above him with tears in her eyes. He barely recognized her scream with joy, but sat up and kissed her

Finally, he thought. Finally and forever. He felt tears run down his cheeks, so overwhelmingly happy he felt he could walk on the sky. And then there was Billy, running at him and jumping into his arms. Jack patted him on the back, and his father's face wrinkled into a smile. He stood up and kissed Elizabeth again, loving the feeling of knowing that from now on, he could do that whenever he wanted to. No more waiting and no more emptiness would he feel. And he was so blissfully happy for it.

All of he sudden he stopped. He had felt something. Something he hadn't felt in over ten years.

It was small, like a flutter of birds' wings from the inside of his body. He could hardly believe it.

He pressed his hand to his chest and, sure enough, there it was.

His heart was beating.


End file.
